The Veil Fianna Trilogy (Book 3) by Megan Chance

The Veil, Fianna Trilogy (Book 3) by Megan Chance

I jumped into this book not having read the previous 2 books, and I followed the plot well. There was enough backstory that I quickly was inside the world and understood the characters.

I enjoyed reading about both sides of the Irish issue--the Irish immigrants here at home and the struggle of early 20th Century Ireland. I thought from the front of the book that it would be steampunk, but it's a very distinct historical fantasy. 

I enjoyed that there was no clear "good-guy" and "bad-guy." Although our heroine Grace had to choose between two men, they were both good men, and they loved her. Each of the men had to make hard choices, and they made them and were true to their characters. The author did a great job describing the challenge each faced, and as a reader, I felt how heavy and hard each was.

Because it's a true fantasy novel, sacrifices were required to save the world, and the characters were brave and strong as they made their final choices. It had a solid ending, and none of the characters chose the "easy" way out. That was refreshing. The end was very satisfying as a reader.

I would recommend this book to my students with one caveat: there's a sex scene that "unlocks" the main character's power, and it is a major, major plot point, so the reader can't overlook it. It probably can't go in my classroom library. However, the main character is 17, and the men she is with are older. That does raise the age of the intended audience.

I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Into Darkness by Hayley Barrett

Into Darkness by Hayley Barrett is set in post-apocalyptic New Phoenix in future New Zealand. This is clearly a novel to set-up characters and build a world.

Our main character, Alexandra Spencer needs to grow a spine. She chooses to take the fall for her boyfriend and ends up sentenced to a year in Elder Grey Detention Centre. Most of the book ends up telling the story, not of what happens at the centre, but the long journey to get to the jail.

I was 60% of the way through the book before the main character made it to jail, and I kept wondering why the journey took so long. Obviously, Alexandra needed to grow and change on the journey so that she would be able to make the choices she did at the end of the novel, but since the main plot point is that she goes to jail, the journey seemed to take forever.

This is an action-adventure novel, but it hinges on the romance between Alexandra and her guard, Will Metcalfe. Without the romance, Alexandra would not have made the choices she makes. That means, Alexandra is still wishy-washy and not making decisions on her own. I am not sure that's the kind of heroine I enjoy. I was irritated with her, especially for not being able to see how her city boyfriend was using her for her position and place.

I am sure the sequel will center on what happens next to Alexandra's motley group of prison friends as they are now struggling in the wild. They have discovered the vampiric Drifters and unlocked part of the secret: now they need to save the world.

I received a copy from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis

Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis is an updated story of The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Anderson. This is a futuristic, technology filled story with only a hint of magic. The reader forgets that they are in a fairy tale except for the familiarity of the story. 

16 year old Liddi Jantzen has lived her whole life having every moment of her life captured on film. She's a futuristic Kardashian, only all 8 of her brothers are amazingly talented and gifted. Her family own a large technology company, and Liddi, the only daughter, has inherited the lion's share of the corporation so that her brothers will not fight over the company and will band together to help Liddi. She's been sheltered and loved by her brothers, but she is a lonely girl with no one to truly call her friend.

Liddi's brothers suddenly are taken captive, and the main conduits to connect the 7 worlds are damaged. To save her brothers and repair the conduits, Liddi is thrust into a whole new world where she must work with people who don't believe technology is the key. They honor the older ways. In her journey, Liddi meets people she respects and learns to love, despite her inability to talk. She learns new ways to communicate, and her innate talent is magnified.

The story feels modern and fresh, and the writing is well done. Liddi is a very sympathetic character, and the choices she must make are world changing. I enjoyed this book very much and will recommend it to my students.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston is a gorgeous spin on Arabian Nights. 

When the king, Lo-Melkhiin has married 300 women and each die on their wedding night, a law is decreed that determines the tribute of one woman per town. When the king arrives in their small wadi, our heroine sacrifices herself to save her sister, the most beautiful girl in the wadi. Her sister swears she will make her a small god, and that the magic of the small god will accompany her to the city.

The heroine intrigues the king with her stories and her lack of fear. Each morning, she is surprised to see the sunrise, but also discovers that her own personal power grows. She knows it is the power of the small gods. She also discovers that Lo-Melkhiin has been radically changed, and when he is injured, she senses inside him a poisonous viper.

Through the power of sisterhood, the power of words, and the power of her own determination, the queen becomes like Scheherazade from the original tale. Although she is not in the city for a thousand nights, the  power grows from the thousands of people all counting on her to save them from the demon king.

The characters in this story are distinctive and each has a specific story about the king or about the heroine. Each tells us some new part of the story, the history of the king, or the power of the land. The symbolism of the lion and the lioness are a nod to the name Scheherazade (which probably means lion-born), and the demon king is created during the killing of a lion. His mother also wears a lion's mane as her wig.

The writing in the book is lovely and lyrical. It's formal as a good fairy tale should be, but the magic and mystery feel very current. There was a shift in narrator at the very end where suddenly "I" from the entire book is now talking about "she" and we know that "she" has been the narrator all along. There is a very spelled out moral to the story. Both throw the reader out of the story abruptly. In fact, I jumped back to the beginning of the book to see if I had missed something. I loved the story, but I did not care for the epilogue. 

I would recommend this book, and I intend to purchase a copy for my classroom.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. 

Playing with Fire A Novel by Tess Gerritsen

Playing with Fire:
A Novel
by Tess Gerritsen

I have read everything in print by Tess Gerritsen, and this book was different in a very good way. While the main story is taking place, Gerritsen skillfully weaves a Holocaust story throughout using music as the point that holds both stories together.,

At first, I was disturbed with what was going on with the main character's daughter, but the book ended with such an interesting twist to resolve the issue that I was pleased I had continued on despite my initial misgivings.

The main character of the modern story is an accomplished violinist who discovers the music belonging to the main character of the Holocaust story. Both stories are emotional, and it seems as if both characters are "playing with fire." Each has incendiary moments, and the mystery of the story revolves around a waltz called "Incendio."

This book was lovely, moving, mysterious, and well plotted. The pacing was perfect, and I am planning to share it with my students tomorrow as we talk about The Book Thief, Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Shades of Gray.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Uneasy In New Orleans A Big Easy Mystery (Book #1) by Carol Carson

Uneasy In New Orleans: A Big Easy Mystery (Book #1) by Carol Carson

I have to admit, I love a cozy mystery. I especially like them with a bit of romance and cooking. However, this was not my favorite read. It had all of the elements to make it work: hunky police detective, plucky heroine working for a private investigator, and the requisite kooky family members.

The policeman and PI remind me of Janet Evanovitch's Stephanie Plum, but in this book they are brothers. Our policeman, Jack, doesn't want our heroine Finn to work for his brother because it's dangerous. He is indeed proved right when pictures Finn has taken of a cheating husband come back to haunt all of them.

One of the things that bugged me was that no one ever really looked at the pictures. Tommy couldn't ID the man in the photos, even when he was attacked. Finn couldn't ID the carriage driver, and that was a plot element screaming out from far too early in the book. 

Another element that was not well developed was the ghost at the cooking school. He was almost a diversion, and certainly not helpful. He didn't appear to Finn until the book was almost half-way through. 

Although the book had no sex, (but plenty of accidents and murders), Finn was randomly kissing people, a stranger on a bus and Tommy, her boss. However, the reader is supposed to believe she likes Jack and that Jack actually likes her back. Their romance is so slow, it's not yet to the stove.

I did enjoy her aunt and younger sister. Those characters were well developed. The kidnapping, FBI's most wanted criminal who has a heart of gold was an odd element. Why she could wander around New Orleans and never be caught is only one of the inconsistencies. Certainly, she wouldn't be able to fly out of the country to escape... 

The mystery gets solved, despite pages and pages of cooking school, vet visits, and multiple trips to the hospital.

I think this book meanders and gets too far off track in places. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it, and normally, this would be my favorite type of book. I don't think I'll read the sequel.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse by A. L. Kennedy

Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse by A. L. Kennedy

The Fourth Doctor, with his hat and long striped scarf, arrives in Arbroath, 1978, without a companion. He immediately befriends Bryony who's working the desk at a Fetch's Golf Spa Hotel.

In true Doctor Who fashion, there's a serious alien infestation, one who feeds off of the emotions of those surrounding the area. On top of that, another alien has fallen in love with Bryony, and he and Bryony become the Doctor's companions for this adventure.

There's octopuses (or octopodes), a promise to become the jewel at the center of the universe, and jelly babies.

This will make a wonderful audio recording, and it is both true to the Fourth Doctor but will feel familiar to those who are NuWho fans.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review.

Life at the Speed of Us by Heather Sappenfield

Life at the Speed of Us by Heather Sappenfield took me by complete surprise. Nowhere in the description of the book does it mention time travel, quantum physics, or parallel universes, but this coming of age love story truly does have it all.

Sovren (misspelled because at an early age her dyslexia made Sovereign impossible) finds that her life has spiraled out of control since the death of her mother. On the anniversary of her death, Sovren's boyfriend dumps her, and she has a snowboarding accident that awakens her again to life.

Despite Sovren's dyslexia, she's a mathematical genius, and the new boy she meets makes her investigate quantum physics, quantum entanglement, parallel universes, and M theory. The author uses this science to create a lovely romance that hints a bit at reincarnation. This science fiction also has some fantasy in that the characters are able to travel through time, but are unable to choose the moments they travel.

Sovren must come to terms with her own reality, her loss, and her loves, and she learns that she can love someone who has died as well as loving life as it becomes, not simply as it was. 

The message that dyslexia doesn't make someone stupid is very clear. Sovren has great coping mechanisms, and they allow her to make her genius shine.

One thing I would change would be how abruptly the book ended. The climactic event of the book is very traumatic, but Sovren doesn't tell us much about how she will cope or does cope with these events. I would have liked an epilogue or a bit more to tie up her relationship with her boyfriend at the end. 

I did enjoy this book very much. Recommend.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Lumiere The Illumination Paradox (Book 1) by Jacqueline Garlick

Lumiere: The Illumination Paradox by Jacqueline Garlick is the first book in this series. 

The book sucks the reader in from the very first scene at the carnival, and each individual scene along the way is important to the plot and the characterization. Both main characters, Eyelet and Urlick, grow from beginning to end, and the additional characters are important and meaningful. Each character has some physical flaw which does not change their value to one another which is a welcome change from perfect boyfriends, amazing magicians, and other unrealistic characters usually found in this genre.

Although the book is set in the Victorian Age (the dates clearly put it in the 1890's), it's not a familiar London or United Kingdom. It's set in the Commonwealth, and the utopian Bretheren and Academy have become corrupt. The characters live in a dystopian world forever changed by an event in their childhood, where both of their fathers worked for the Bretheren. Since that event, the air, water, and world has been corrupted, and the Commonwealth has been changed. Outside the Commonwealth are zombies and ghouls as a corruption of the people.

Eyelet and Urlick must work together, each hoping that the machine built by their fathers holds a cure for them (Eyelet's epilepsy and Urlick's birth mark).  As they come together, their romance blossoms. As in most romance, their relationship grows quickly and their attraction is intense, a relationship forged in desperate times full of teen angst. Despite their physical flaws, both Eyelet and Urlick are capable creators, and the book is full of wonderful steampunk creations with just a hint of magic thrown in. 

I enjoyed and recommend this book.Book 2, Noir, will be available soon and is also a great read.  

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Noir The Illumination Paradox (Book 2) by Jacqueline Garlick

Although Noir is the second book in this series, I jumped into the book and caught up on the characters and plot very quickly.

Ms. Garlick has created a believable world, very much steampunk with a touch of post-apocalyptic destruction: murky air unfit to breathe, water unfit to drink, and a despotic ruler. For paranormal fans, the vapors that create ghouls and things that go bump in the wood also add to the world building.

There's a lost prince, a girl destined to save the world, two desperate women trying manipulate others for power, and a truly motley set of side-kicks (and they are actually from a freak show).

Ms. Garlick creates many moments with the characters, where the reader feels the connection each has to another. There's a chance to laugh, to cry, to feel jealousy, and to build friendships.

This book is well crafted, but most of it was one escape attempt after another. The amazing spaces they escaped from, and the unlikely ways they made their escapes were well thought out, but it was a series of escapes from beginning to end.

I would recommend this book, but there is a very strong romance story where our main characters take their relationship all the way. For my audience, I would probably keep this book as a "behind my desk" book with that caveat. I really enjoyed this book, and I would read the third book in the series.

Following Her by Melody Anne

I have read several books by Melody Anne, and they are entertaining romances that always guarantee a HEA.

The heroine in the novel is a strong woman, a lawyer, who's been played by her former boss and love-interest. She's caught him red-handed and helped build a case against him. His associates are making threats and accosting Ella. Her cousin, an Alpha Male from another book in this series, insists his partner protect Ella.

From the beginning of the novel, Axel and Ella collide. She's headstrong, and he's an FBI agent who's not going to be derelict in his duty. Over the course of the novel, the two tango through their attraction, their ability to intrigue one another, and to irritate one another. Their chemistry is good, and their dates are adorable.

My one complaint is the many scenes with Ella's girlfriends. Perhaps they will be getting their own spin-off books, and this book serves as their introduction to the reader. There were several times I wondered why I needed to spend so much time inside her relationship with her "chikas."

The book had a nice resolve, a great happily ever after, and was fun to read.

It's definitely for adults as there is sexual content, but it's definitely a ladies' romance to enjoy.

The Battle for Oz by Jenna Grace

Recently, I discovered a site which would allow me to read galley copies of soon-to-be released books. The first book I read was called The Battle for Oz.  I am a confessed Oz fan (owning most of the original Frank L. Baum Oz books) and my favorite book is Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by  Lewis Carroll.

This book has an interesting premise: if Oz is a magical world people can travel to, can people also travel between other magical worlds, like Wonderland. It starts with an invasion of Oz from Wonderland, and our two heroines of the original books, Dorothy and Alice, must return to save Oz and defeat the nemesis of Wonderland.

Of course, Dorothy and Alice have grown up. However, they don't feel like the Dorothy or Alice we know from books or movies. In fact, they are very flat. The reader is left to fill in who these young women are from previous readings or movies of Oz and Wonderland.

In some places, the stories overlap in truly odd ways. There's a mixture of real people (The Brother's Grimm, who have seemingly traveled Oz and are perhaps Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum from Wonderland), and an odd reference to the Munich Pact of 1938 and an odd reference to the Nazi Party and Hitler. The marriage of real people and fictional characters creates a disconnect in the suspension of disbelief required for the story to flow.

While this book reminds me of The Looking Glass Wars, I would have preferred more show versus tell from the author. The characters seem very one dimensional, and there's much exposition instead of letting the characters tell their stories through dialogue and character development.

At times, I was unsure of the intended audience. While the story is easy to follow and there's no problem with the teen/YA, Dorothy and Alice are consistently killing or destroying trolls, guards, and other characters. They are remorseless, and that is completely out of character for either of them in their previous novels. Understanding this is a war, Dorothy carries a pretty deadly whip and odd cookies and candies that do unusual things, like creating a shape-shifting Toto. Alice carries a sword and has specialty potions from Cheshire Cat that make her a formidable foe. A lot of characters are simply wiped out at the end of the novel.

Would I recommend this book? I consider it a "mash-up" that reminds me of the TV show Once Upon a Time. I won't purchase this book for my classroom, but I can see that people who are nostalgic about Oz will read this book, especially people who have loved The Looking Glass Wars or Alice in Zombieland.

So excited for school to start!

I'm so excited for school to start! I've been working now for 10 days, (and 4square says I'm even the mayor at THS again!) and I've got the reading unit tweaked. I think I have the Best Job EVER. I can't wait to start teaching. Can't come soon enough for me!

I'm listening to the flex music I'm going to use to teach certain core concepts, and I'm so jazzed to teach. SIGH. Where are the kids when you need 'em?? Hot Chelle Rae for repetition? SO MUCH FUN!! Now, I just need to borrow a copy of The Help from Mrs. Gardner before I go see the movie. I'm dying to know what's in it... Like everyone else, right??

Restructuring Reading Unit

When you look at how much things have changed on my blog and website, you think, well I guess things change very little from year to year in Mrs. Phippen's class, and yet, I re-think EVERY LESSON, every time I teach it. I re-think my lesson plans, my units, my disclosure documents, and I re-think the structure of everything I do from the ground up, every year. I think that's how I keep my job fresh every year. I also think that's why I love my job so much.
Every year, it's brand new for me. The students aren't the only NEW thing for me, the material is brand new and fresh for me. It's percolated brand new, from scratch, every year. I throw it all out, look at it again, and decide "Is this PERFECT?" Is this JUST what works? Is this the very best thing I have to teach this, or could I find something better? If something isn't the best thing, I don't use it. Sometimes, I'll devise something better from first period to fourth period and my periods won't all have the same assignments. I reserve the right to get better as the day gets long. I think that's the benefit of improvement.
My newest restructure is the kindle. One of these days I'm going to go 3G. My mom gave my the non-3G, which works great... in my bedroom. If I wander away from my bed, no wireless. Why do I not get wireless reception in my kitchen?? God only knows. It's only of those Cosmic Mysteries. I often get hit-or-miss reception on my front porch. I do know that it will change the way people read, and it will change the way I teach kids to choose books because choosing a book by the front cover in *black & white* is not nearly the same as choosing from Amazon.com in color. Yeah. Color makes a HUGE difference when choosing a book.
Anyway, my reading unit is being rethought, and rethought, and it's my baby. I know it's thing thing I do best, and I teach writing through reading. So... because I am an integrated teaching, all that I do is being rethought. This is my favorite time of year. I love the thinking about how to get things done and the set-up of how to get there. :o)

The Iron Daughter (Ah, LOVE!)

I love a good Saturday read, and I love a good romance novel... This is the sequel to The Iron King, and both are Harlequin Teen Fiction. Based on characters from Much Ado About Nothing, we have Puck, Queen Mab, Oberon, and a host of other Fey who are in NeverNever and locked in a dance between the upper Sidhe and Unseelie Court. This is definitely Faery Fiction at it's finest. This is not Shakespeare.

Our plucky romantic lead is played by Meghan Chase, daughter of Oberon, and a member of the Summer Court (a half-human Sidhe) and she is the Juliet to our Romeo, Prince Ash, son of Queen Mab of the Unseelie Winter Court. Meghan is currently a prisoner in the Winter court...

1. It's an up and down love story, and it does require reading the first book in the series. However, it's not predictable and has several nice twists in the story. While the characters might feel predictable, the story is new. There are two lovers who are forbidden to be together, not just for one reason, but for several, and they aren't all clear from the outset. That's one of the nice twists of the story. 1 star.

2. The characters are nicely rounded. The heroine is strong. She spends the entire story discovering that she doesn't need the men to rescue her, she doesn't need magic to rescue her, and she doesn't need her father or her parents to rescue her. All of those things are nice, but everything necessary is inside her. She can choose any one of those things as extras, but who she is inside is enough. That's a message not often found, and is so incredibly rare in a romance novel that I'm going to give this book 2 stars just for having the message at all! She fights the demons, and all of the most important, most strong characters, including powerful characters in the book, are female. Love it. Love it, love it. Julie, you are clever. That the male characters are also nice people is great, too. Don't get me wrong. The two men who are in love with her are nice men. She has a choice between two nice men, and it's not an easy choice. Julie. Again. A great reason for 2 stars.

3. I like that Meghan's story has a happy ending at this point. At the end of book 1, she had a good resolution. At the end of book 2, she has a great resolution. However, it's very obvious to me where Kagawa is headed with this story. I know what the only possible truly happy ending can be. I hope there's a twist I haven't seen yet. I'm pulling for ya, because I've just read book 4 Radiant Shadows in Melissa Marr's series, and I want something new. Give me something new... No, really.

At this point, it's a really solid series. Girls will enjoy it. I did. It's also a clean read, which is hard to find!! There was NO SEX in it!! It gets another star for that. You don't find that very often in teen lit...

4 stars, recommend.

The Atlantis Complex (Artemis grows a conscience)

It's been two full years since I read The Time Paradox, time enough to cleanse my palate and want to revisit Atlantis and my favorite teen villain, Artemis. In fact, time enough to hope Coulfer had reinvented Artemis and re-energized the series.

After the tragic epic fail of The Time Paradox, either nothing could be worse, or Artemis had only one last chance... So, here we were.

1. Most of the plot is once again in the arctic. Brrr. I was concerned at the start of the novel with several things. Let me outline them quickly so that I can get them out of the way: global warming (yawn), OCD/mental complex (over-done?), rehash of old villains (blah, blah, blah). However, Coulfer quickly convinced me that he was not going to bore me, preach to me, or give me something that sounded like a trip to the psychologist's chair. I also was interested in all the characters. They didn't sound old to me, even though I knew I knew them. They were new again. Kudos to Coulfer. 2 stars.

2. Artemis is definitely growing up. Coulfer could choose to do one of two things with the Fowl series. He could choose to do as several other writers do, and firmly ground Artemis in the 9-12 arena and leave him there as many writers do. Instead, Artemis is growing and evolving, more in the Rowling-Potter style. The books are getting longer, and Artemis is growing and learning. Artemis is much, much more complex than when book one was written in 2003. I must say, I adore him, and what pours out of him in several sections, while it may appall him in certain sections is delighting to the reader. Artemis is a round, amazing character. He's why I read Coulfer and very possibly my favorite fictional character of all time. Criminal mastermind, devoted son, bespoken suit, faery friend, demon defender. He's a total package. There are other darling heroes out there in books, but Artemis Fowl is quite possibly the best one in print. 1 star.

3. Captain Holly Short always saves the day. Give her a situation, and she can make it happen. She never gives up, she never gives in, and she can fly anything. Oh, and give her a weapon, and she'll usually use it against Artemis, not in malice, of course. The fact that she's a strong female character tickles me pink, and that she's always saving the day, and that she's round and not flat as a side-kick is also great bonus material. She and Foaly are fantastic back-up characters, but in this novel, Holly is worth her weight in gold. She moves the plot along, and she's the "driving" force in more ways than one. I'm pulling for Holly, and she's always dragging Artemis into doing the right thing. This time, Artemis drags Holly into the right thing, and the flip is just so delicious. Coulfer, I love you. 1 star.

4. Meh items? Colfer had some other plot items that I don't think he liked, and he did a bit of cleaning house. I think that's what the last book was about. The Time Paradox seemed a lot about cleaning up plot issues, or it was simply a mis-step. This time, there was a lot right  in the Artemis Fowl world. I definitely enjoyed this book.

It's not my favorite book of the series, it's a strong one in this series. I adore who Artemis is becoming, and it had some funny moments. Recommend for the junior high set who like modern fantasy with gadgets in their mix. If they liked Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider, they might like Artemis Fowl. I know I do.

4 stars

Mockingjay! A Machiavellian Ride...

After back to school night, I came home to the most pleasant surprise: my copy from Amazon had arrived! Despite being absolutely knackered, I opened it about 10:30pm, and read it anyway. When I finished it... here are my thoughts:

1. Suzanne Collins did tie up all the loose ends. There's nothing to finish, no story, character, or plot to revisit. She tied everything up, and there are no plot holes. 1st star.

2. The characters are nicely rounded. Despite the book being told in first person, Katniss is not the only "main" character. The book is still deeply introspective, but Katniss is deeper, richer, and grows to be a likable character. She realizes who she is, what she wants, and the reader sees what they want for her in the future. Gale, Peeta, Prim, and the other characters are also nicely rounded out this time around. Even the more minor characters are likable. The villains are true antagonists vs nemesis, which makes them realistic. This is "real life" instead of "super heroes." Life in microcosm. 2 stars.

3. There was a lot of emotional appeal. I was torn about how it played emotionally. For its teen audience, I guess this is OK. Sometimes I wondered if this was more than needed. This will be great for the silver screen. Much of what happened in the book was a gigantic emotional appeal of "spots"--advertisements--promos (propo--propaganda) for either side of the revolution. "Tell me how to feel." One of the gigantic themes of the book is "Don't mess with how I feel". Real or not real? It plays on the philosophical idea that "reality exists in the mind" and that sanity is a state of mental clarity.

4. The book had a lot of action, jumped around in location, and went places. This was fine. It kept the reader waiting, wanting, and reading... Another star.

All in all, I give the book 4 stars. A good, solid finish to an excellent series. It had 2 plot twists I was not expecting (which is always good!) and tied up the series well. 

What I've Read so Far... Not in order...

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (I'd give it 3 stars). It was a decent read, and I'll probably buy the sequel just to see how it ends. Interesting premise on several levels.
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (which I would give 4 stars). It's a much better (tighter) story of The Nicholas Flamel series currently out which I have spent (wasted) time reading.
The Sorcerer by Michael Scott (which I would give only 2 stars) is meh. I'm half-way through the series. I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the Red Pyramid (and I read the Red Pyramid after). Rick Riordan's book is better.
The Necromancer by Michael Scott (2 stars) See above.
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (3 stars) Amazon recommended this one, and it was an interesting, if a bit gothic/emo romance. Some of my girls will really like this "freaky" romance.
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (1 star) I got this book as a "bargain" drama, and it intrigued me because of the "Jellicoe cat" reference, and who doesn't love a bit of TS Elliot in the AM? But, skip, skip, skip, all the way home. DID NOT LIKE, DO NOT recommend. Convoluted plot, totally unrealistic ending. I hated slogging through it, and had to really, really twist myself to figure out how on God's green earth she'd figured out a plot so odd.
Ranger's Apprentice Kings of Clonmel #8 by John Flanagan (4 stars) For a book written for a kid age 10, I really enjoy these books. Although this isn't my favorite in the series, it was a good read. Nice solid plotting. Not too predictable. No magic. Love that about this series.
The Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood Series)
Dead Until Dark (3 stars) I liked this--not for girls under 17! This is NOT Twilight!
Living Dead In Dallas (3 stars)
Club Dead (4 stars) This was a really, really good one. I liked Alcide and the other characters!
Dead to the World (5 stars) This is my FAVORITE of the whole series!!
Dead as a Doornail (2 stars) as a follow up to the one before, this was a HUGE downer.
Definitely Dead (1 star) HATED this book. It was my LEAST favorite books of the series, but we did get the cute new character of Amelia from New Orleans and cousin Hadley.
Altogether Dead (3 stars) this was a MUCH better book than the last, and at least SOMETHING happened at the end.
From Dead to Worse (2 stars) I skimmed this one... Figuring out what was going on with the characters... No real mystery in this one
Dead and Gone (2 stars) Meh
Dead in the Family (2 stars) Meh
I happened to HAVE all the Sookie Stackhouse books, and thus read them all at one time
The Eyre Affaire by Jasper Fforde (5 stars)
Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde (5 stars)
The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde (5 stars)
Thursday Next, First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde (3 stars)
The Big Over Easy: a Nursery Crime by Jasper Fforde (4 stars)
The Fourth Bear: a Nursery Crime by Jasper Fforde (4 stars)
Mort by Terry Pratchett (5 stars) Death takes an apprentice. LOVELY book set on Discworld. If you've never visited Terry Pratchett's Discworld, you should visit.
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (3 stars) Death stands in for Santa. Why and how come?
Soul Music by Terry Pratchett (2 stars) Buddy Holly, Death, and Death's granddaughter "Susan" because it's Terry Pratchett on Disworld.
Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett (4 stars) Death takes a holiday---ok, he gets FIRED. Funny stuff.
Fablehaven (4 stars) This was a good solid read
Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven) (3 stars) liked this book, read it quickly.
Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven) (3 stars) I had all
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven) (5 stars) I think I've got it figured out... And my favorite of the series.
Fablehaven, Book 5:Keys to the Demon Prison (2 stars) I didn't like the ending of the series. It was 2 books smashed into one book, and it was long. It should have been written as 2 books. It wasn't that the series didn't end properly or as I expected, just that the ending seemed hurried.
Pillage  (3 stars) This was a lovely book about dragons. Recommend for grades 4-6.
The Iron King (Harlequin Teen) (4 star) Retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream. I really liked it. Clever.
Tempted (House of Night, Book 6) (2 star) Meh. Seriously? Where is this series headed??
Burned (House of Night Novels) (2 stars? perhaps?)
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia (4 stars) I started this book last year and got to Indonesia with her and never really understood why she continued on to Bali. I finished out the book, but the second time around, I really connected with her. The first time around, I thought it was a 2 or 3 star, but the second time around, I liked it better. Of course, I'm coming at it from the same place, so I'm empathizing, too. That makes a difference.

The Eyre Affair & the Thursday Next Series

The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde is the first of the Thursday Next novels, and it is the novel I have gifted most to people who teach English. I think it is cleverly written and requires one to be well read and know characters from Austen, Dickens, and also understand theme and motivation behind the characters. It also requires death of the author, and the realization that words have a life of their own.

The five books in the series are not all equal. I enjoyed certain characters more than others. For example, I thought the series was most fleshed out, most round, and most touching in the scenes with her Uncle Mycroft (and the thought of him and Sherlock Holmes interacting was delightful!) I also thought that Something Rotten, was probably the strongest of the books, despite it being the zaniest of them because the theme in the book shows that no matter what, at their core, people have goodness inside of them: poetry can move us to find goodness inside ourselves. Words have the power to move us. Beware: Poetry has power. Despite all of the strong points in book four, the most touching ending was at the end of book three, which was the climax of the series, certainly. Her father, who's name is never, ever revealed, is a well rounded, delightful character only seen for literally flashes of time in the book that don't seem to matter, but they are enough to give us comic relief and insight into who he is and how Thursday feels about him.

My very favorite character is Granny Next, and she comprises the best moments of book four. She's the best parts of the series for me. I adore her and she reminds me much of Granny Weatherwax from Terry Pratchett's works. She's all knowing in blue gingham, and I loved her interaction with Thursday.

I did not enjoy the fifth book in the series. I found myself thinking, this is Thursday's future? Really? Wow. Middle age really does bite. I did love her children, and Landon was fantastic. Polly and her mother were still funny and silly, and I even still loved hating Lola Vavoom. Having read everything else Jasper Fforde had written, I expected to be thrilled to be visiting Thursday and her family again in her First Among Sequels, but I was SO DEPRESSED by her life. Read if you must, but if you want my advice? Imagine that her life stopped when you finish Something Rotten, and leave her when her future was amazing. Jasper Fforde has another book coming out in the Thursday Next series in the next year... I'll be reading it.

Recommend if you like Austen. It has strong language in it (She is a police officer). You should have read the classics. You should also understand literary speak like puns, allusion, etc. Much like Terry Pratchett. Would consider it to be like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Starting the Summer with Sookie Stackhouse

The summer truly got under swing when my sister loaned me all of her friend Hilary's "Sookie Stackhouse" books. These are not Twilight on steroids. Instead, this series, mystery/romance also ties fantasy vampires and fey with werewolves, shape-shifters, and anything else that can go bump-in-the-night. In truly "Harry Potter" fashion, the vampires have come out of their closets and are drinking a synthetic True Blood which allows them a mystical "science fiction" existence, but they really are just blood suckers.

Although the stories and characters are familiar creatures of nightmare, the twists and turns are new and enjoyable. For several books, one wonders why everyone (Bill, Eric, Sam, etc.) likes Sookie and wants her more than anyone else in existence, but the explanation, which was long in coming (book nine!), did make sense and created much of the plot for books nine and ten. Sookie's love interests have made for great reading, and vampires, weyrs, etc, do make for interesting bedfellows!

Not all ten of these books are great reads. None of them are for people under 18, and I am not recommending True Blood on HBO. That's not even SOFT porn. I got more than I bargained for when I attempted to watch part of the show one night! Wow. When I did wikipedia the synopsis of the show, I discovered it didn't follow the plot of the books, either. So two disappointing things, right there. If you choose to read Sookie, keep in mind, it's supermarket romance with fantasy vampires and mystery thrown in. Lots of vampires, sex, and blood. If that's your thing, Sookie is for you.

Recommend if you like Janet Evanovich, Anne Rice, and Nora Roberts.